Reported IDF Killing of Palestinian Amputee Provokes Uproar on Twitter

29-year-old Ibrahim Abu Thuraya, a wheelchair-bound Palestinian man with no legs, was reportedly killed by Israeli troops during Friday's Gaza protests against President Trump's previous declaration on Jerusalem.

His killing immediately caused an international outcry, with Jerusalem-based journalist Nasser Atta writing on his Twitter page that the death of Abu Thuraya may result in the third intifada. Thuraya lost his legs during Israel's Operation Cast Lead in 2008.

Social media users expressed outrage at Thuraya's killing and squarely pointed the finger at the Israeli troops. According to them, Thuraya was not carrying any weapons and did not pose a threat.

Ahead of Gaza protests, Thuraya reportedly said that "this land is our land."

"We are not going to give up. America has to withdraw the declaration it has made," he underscored.

Israeli Defense Force (IDF) officials, for their part, said that they are investigating the death of Thuraya, who was shot and killed after an Israeli officer noticed that Thuraya was wearing "what appeared to be a suicide belt," the Times of Israel newspaper reported.

Earlier, the Israeli military said in a statement that "during the violent riots, IDF soldiers fired selectively at the main instigators."

About 2,500 Palestinians took part in the riots, during which they threw firebombs and rocks at soldiers and border police, who had to retaliate, according to the Israeli military.

In early December, Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal told Sputnik that Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital "will start another intifada and will lead to the deterioration of US relations with other Arab and Muslim states."